Ionans
NOTE: This page is not free to edit. Characters are solely owned by ScottyBlue (dA name Ascotia-Bluefleck) Ionans ''(ee-OH-nans), called '''Xkynzbyb' (k'chick-EEN-z'beeb) in their native tongue and given the scientific classification Iogigantor sensibilis, are exponentially the largest of the seven native animal species to Jupiter's volcanic moon Io, and until the species migrated to Titan, they were the apex predator of the tiny ecosystem there. They are members of the order Monotrema, and the only known member of said order who is sentient. To aid possible confusion, the six other species (all small non-sentient insectoids) are referred to as Lesser Ionans by scientists, while the Xcynzbyb are typically referred to as Greater Ionans. While these creatures were by far the largest species on Io, they are also, as most apex predators, the least populous species upon said moon, with only 7600-7700 members living at a given time. They are a fully sentient species, and, while not human in appearance, are quite capable of communication and emotion as humans are. Some members display great intelligence, but not anything like superhuman levels. They do not attempt to contact Earth, save through one or two emissaries in on the secret of their existence. External Appearance Fully adult Greater Ionans average about 9 feet (275 cm) in height when standing on their back limbs - measurement is taken from the base of the foot to the top of the skull. However, many males grow larger. They can weigh anything between 400 and 800 lbs (about 180-360 kg). They have four limbs, an elongated ferret-like body and neck, and a head almost exactly the shape of a river otter, with long grey facial whiskers and a padded nose. The ears are laterally oriented, not vertical, and are batlike and truly massive, sometimes almost 3/4 the length of the body in certain males. These ears contain a thick layering of whiskers, and are also coated with trillions of microscopic hair-like sensors on the inside, the purpose of which is discussed in "Physiology". The males are at the top range of size, typically, while females are at the low range of size. The Greater Ionans have very flexible, rotating spines like cats and weasels, and often contort themselves into strange positions. They can function equally well in a bipedal and a quadripedal mode. Their limbs are somewhat short in proportion to the rest of the body, ending in monkey-like paws with opposable fingers and toes. They do not have external nails, but instead have long, retractable white claws, heavily curved for grasping and climbing. Greater Ionan teeth are all smooth and conical like those of a whale or orca, and extremely hard, primarily for crushing than any other purpose. They are mammalian in taxon, with thick and exceptionally soft fur of a chinchilla texture, covering all of the body but the paws, palms, interior of the ear, and soles of the feet. The tail is long and whip-like and covered with exceptionally long and bushy fur, even more so than the rest of the body, so it resembles that of a Persian cat. The pelt of an Ionan can be solid, striped, or in a pattern combining solid areas and striped areas. The fur is shades of indigo or purple, with occasional very small white splashes on some individuals on the paws, face, or chest. The eyes are also light purple, with pupils shaped like a 10-pointed star, and the skin is usually black or bluish-grey. In the case of albino individuals, the skin is a pale bluish color, and the eyes brilliant blue green while the fur is snowy white all over, though it may appear cream or yellowish due to the air quality on Io. This mutation occurs about one in every 500 individuals. Male Ionans differ from females in that their tail fur is overall longer as adults and furthermore even from birth male Ionans possess a great heart-shaped mane of fur draped over their shoulders and chest as opposed to the uniform growth of fur of females. The ears are also typically longer in males than females. They do not wear clothing, but often wear many ropes of jewelry hewn from volcanic rock or forged from metal. The fur is long enough to cover any indecent bits of their anatomy. Physiology Greater Ionans have a similar internal physiology to most Earth mammalians, in that all of the organs typically present for circulation, respiration, nervous system, and digestion are there. However, there are modifications to these, detailed below. Sensory Organs An Ionan's nose is large and padded, and they have a sense of smell similar to that of a cat or other feline. Their eyes, thanks to the odd-shaped pupil, can contract to almost invisible pinpoints, which is an aid when they are on the side of the moon in which the bright Jupiter fills the sky. They also have reflectors similar to most noctornal Earth animals, to aid them when they venture to the dark side of their moon. The ears and ocular organs are immense as compared to Earth Mammalians, and Ionans have an incredible sense of hearing. The padding of microscopic hairs on their ears prevent them from being deafened by loud noises, but they are capable of detecting sounds far too low or high for even dogs to hear. Furthermore, Ionans possess, thanks to the unique sensors on their ears and aural nerves as well as in their brains, a unique form of telepathy in which they can sense thought vibrations. However, they can only pick up thought vibrations that specifically involve them - i.e. read any thought pertaining to them. There is no distance limit on this telepathy, though the farther away you are the fainter your voice. They have also mastered the art of communicating using this skill. Respiratory Organs The air on Io has a higher sulfur content than that of Earth, though not anything like as much as Earth scientists have calculated. Furthermore, it is thinner, and the air quality and composition drastically varies from place to place on the moon. For this reason, Ionans have a special sort of lung which is a combination of a birds' lung with extra air sacs, and a Spider's lung in which the tissue is in gill-like folds. However, unlike both of these structures, which do not expand and contract like mammalian lungs, these lungs do expand and contract, giving the Ionans the ability to take in and process much air. This lung is able to adapt to various air qualities and sort out however much oxygen the creatures need to survive and completely expel any other contaminants. This means that Ionans can survive on virtually any surface that has even a minimal amount of oxygen, even if the oxygen is part of a complex molecular compound. Circulatory Organs Ionan hearts are extremely similar to human hearts in appearance and function. The main difference is relative size - whereas a human heart is about the same size as a human fist, an Ionan heart is proportionally larger, about the same size as the creature's skull. Because of the low oxygen pressure and mostly cold conditions of Io, Ionan blood has hemocyanin instead of hemoglobin as its primary transport ingredient, like many Earth undersea creatures. This gives the blood a distinctly blue-green tint. Ionan blood also has some unusual radioactive properties. It can be poisonous in very large amounts - however, when a small/non-lethal amount of Ionan blood gets into the bloodstream of another sentient mammalian it gives said mammalian certain Ionan abilities over time if the 'poisoning" isn't cleared, eventually giving the person the ability to change back and forth from their original form to an Ionan if left for more than a few weeks. Other Systems Barring the highly augmented aural nerves, the nervous system of Ionans is unremarkable. The same goes for the excretory and endocrine. The musculoskeletal system is more flexible in general than the average Earth mammalian, as has been mentioned. The reproductive system is similar to that of a platypus or echidna, meaning it is a mammalian reproductive system, but the female lays an egg instead of giving birth to live young. The digestive system is completely omnivorous - while Ionans are considered the apex predator, they can (and do) eat any biological matter including fungi/plants, and do cook their food when they can, to preserve it. Lifestyle Greater Ionans live mostly along the border of the light and dark sides of Io, so they can quickly retreat to the dark side if the moon to hide or sleep They measure their days by what side of Jupiter they see in the sky, and one day is 47 hours long. The potential lifespan of an Ionan is roughly 150-180 earth years. Not much is known about their culture save the basics. What is known is only what has been revealed by emissaries, as Ionans are experts at avoiding the notice of astronomers and NASA. Government Ionans traditionally lived in 21 strict districts, each with its own Governor. There was no single ruler, and the Governors would only meet once every 20 earth years or so. However, in recent times, one Governor attempted to take over the entire moon with the help of an AI system he created which could get inside the telepathic abilities of Ionans and control them that way. After he was overthrown, the supercomputer powering the AI system was destroyed. The moon is currently in a state of nonviolent anarchy, though some attempt to elect new leaders is being made and the old system of districts and Governors is hoped to be re-established soon. Culture at a Glance Ionans discovered computing technology before humans did, but have not advanced terribly farther than Earth, in that, because of having limited resources and metals to build computers with. They tend to live in underground homes, and also grow the fungi they eat underground, cultivating them so they have a ready supply of food if good hunting is scarce. Structures above-ground are not usually fixed, and are all stone with maybe some metal reinforcing. This is so if a seismic activity or volcanic eruption threatens, the structures can quickly be dismantled and put up again. Ionans do not spend much time outdoors on the light side of Io, but quite a bit on the dark side. They are excellent climbers and like to be on a high spot to see across the landscape, when they are outdoors. They are also excellent hunters. They have no natural enemies other than others of their own species and the larger Aubns (see Lesser Ionans), but are largely non-confrontational. They have a written language, but mostly use spoken language. They consider communicating by telepathy a form of speech, and often spend days in silence. They value being responsible with resources, and being protective of children and family, above much else. Feeding Greater Ionan diet, as has been mentioned, is omnivorous. The primary component of their diet is the meat of the Squillaterram, a large and abundant arthropod of sulfur-yellow color that is extremely hard to see among the rocks until close-up, and is typically located by the sound of its scrabbling. The other five species of Lesser Ionans are are also commonly eaten, but not quite as frequently. The Greater Ionans also will eat fungus/vegetable matter, all of which grows in the underground caves in Io as nothing can grow in the surface soil save extremely tiny bacterial matter and fungi that is left for the Lesser Ionans to eat, so the ecosystem is not disrupted. Greater Ionans grow much of the fungal/vegetable matter that they eat in cultivated caverns, some of which cover vast amounts of acreage. Agricultural work is the primary occupation of most Ionans, but most also hunt. Other occupations in order of popularity are computing/technology, construction, farming Squillaterram in areas where they aren't as populous, sentry duty, and leadership positions (though these had temporarily been non existent until recently, see above). Reproduction Ionans typically reproduce once every three to six earth years, but are capable of reproducing far more frequently. Like turtles, there is no maximum breeding age, but most females stop having eggs at about 75 earth years old because it becomes more painful. Typically a single egg forms within the mother over the span of about 7 Io days (about 12 Earth days) after mating - however, there is a very rare genetic mutation that can cause a female Ionan to produce a clutch of many much smaller eggs, though in many cases only a small percentage will actually have young in them and usually those that do have stunted or otherwise deformed young in them. In normal cases, the egg is typically anywhere from 16 to 24 inches (41-61 cm) long and an elongated oval in shape. The shell is iridescent black, and, while soft, is extremely tough and leathery. Because of their thin bodies, a female carrying an egg will display some abdominal distension and find moving around quickly a bit difficult - hence her husband, if he still lives, helping her and protecting during this time. When contractions begin and the egg starts to descend, the mother makes a nest of straw, blankets, and soft dirt clawed from the wall of the nesting area - usually a cave underground near a geothermal heat system - and stands over it, supporting herself with her paws on the wall. To lay an egg is distinctly uncomfortable for the mother, but usually not very painful - severe pain is an indication of something wrong. After laying the egg, she covers all but the very tip of it with more nesting material. The baby Ionan will continue to develop in the egg until the yolk runs out, at which time hunger will drive the baby to claw its way out of the shell to nurse. This usually happens in about 34 Io days (about 59 Earth days) but in the case of improperly formed eggs can happen much sooner and drive the mother to prematurely break the egg to save her baby. Children Baby Ionans are viable within ten Io days (18 earth days) or so of the egg being laid, and possess extremely basic telepathy at this time, able to only sense their parents and give vague senses of happiness, fear, and hunger. However, they do not hatch until the 59 earth day mark unless something goes wrong and the mother has to break the egg early to rescue the baby. A premature baby will be about the size of a softball and naked and helpless, like a human baby, and need constant care. However, full-term newborns usually are only about 12-17 inches long (not counting the tail, which is as long as the body again) at birth, much smaller in the case of multiple eggs in the clutch. In the extremely rare case of twins in the same egg, the babies are also much smaller and usually one or both do not survive due to lack of yolk. The head is proportionally large compared to the body and the neck and body not as elongated - this comes in later adolescence. The fur is short and the tail nearly hairless. They have no teeth, but have very sharp little claws. A baby Ionan is developed enough to climb and crawl within hours of hatching, and spends much of the first couple earth months of its life clutching to its mothers chest with its front half buried into her fur and invisible to everyone else as it nurses. Ionan children mature very quickly their first few years of life then dramatically slow down. A newborn Ionan has the sapience and understanding of a 2-year-old human, or thereabouts, and quickly gains strength, abilities, and by the time they are about 6 or 7 earth ears old they are almost half their adult height and while still playful and silly have already a great physical strength and possess full telepathic abilities and the problem-solving abilities of a human teenager in an advanced class. After this point, both growth and maturing reaches its great slow-down, and Ionans do not reach full adult maturity until about 17 earth years (females) or 19 (males). They are able to reproduce a couple earth years sooner but almost never do. Family There are more female Ionans than males - the relationship is about 42% male to 58% female. The reason for this is not known, though speculation and research suggest that it may have something to do with the ambient temperature affecting whether the eggs hatch male or female, like reptiles. Because of this, and the fact the males are bigger and stronger than females and also more aggressive, one male Ionan is usually leads and protects a family group of between 7-16 members. The family groups consist of the Alpha male, his wife or wives (though most males are monogamous, because of the proportions a fair amount take two or three wives), his children, his siblings, and his wife's/wives' siblings. Occasionally, orphans are invited to be part of a family as well. Children, when they grow and marry, have the option to stay on and enlarge their original "pack", or go out and start separate family groups for themselves - either is considered perfectly acceptable in Ionan culture.. They live in either caves or above-ground structures as described above. Category:Species